Furnace for melting and blowing glass



(No Model.)

D. FETTERS.

FURNAGE FOR MBLTINGAND'BLOWING GLASS.

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attent DAVID FETTERS, 0F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

FURNACE FOR iVIELTING AND BLOWING GLASS.

SPECIFICATION forming part ofA Letters Patent No. 246,109, dated August 23, 1881.

Application tiled April 5, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom yit may concern:

Beit known that I, DAVID FE'rrERs, of the city of Baltimore and State of Maryland, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Furnaces for Melting Glass, of which the following is a specification.

Myinvention relates to glass-furnaces wherein the operations of melting the stock, relining it, and working it by the blowers are continu ous.

The invention consists in a glass-furnace of the character named, having a furnace which is located at one end of a trunk having a horizontal floor, a working-tank at the opposite end, and two intermediate refining tanks formed by tubular walls, and an intermediate overflow-dam, which is also tubular, as will be hereinafter explained.

The invention also consists in a horizontal glass-furnace having the melting-tanks and the refining and working tanks on the same level, and succeeding one another, in combination with a furnace located at one end of the melting-tank and outlet-fines arranged in the side walls above the second or re-rening tank, between the bridge-wall of the working-tank and the overow-dam, which is between the two refining-tanks, as will be hereinafter explained.

The construction of a furnace embodying my improvements will first be described, and the in vention will then be designated in the claims.

Figure 1 is a sectional plan of the furnace, taken through the line in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation. Fig. 3 is a cross-section through line :r a@ in Fig. 2, as seen when looking toward the fire-box.

The letter A designates the lire-box, and a the grate. The opening b to the fire-box is shown in the end.

C designates thepartition or iire-bridge,pref erably formed by the two separate walls, c c.

D is the melting-tank, formed by the bridge C and the hollow-walled partition E, at the bottom of which openings or passages d are formed, which communicate from the meltingtank to the refining-tank F. Through these passages the molten glass flows, while the flame and heat are carried by the blast over the partition and across the refining-tanks F F. As the molten glass enters the rening-tank it continues to flow therein until it reaches the top of the dam or division-wall G, which it overflows. The dam runs transversely of the refining-tank, dividing it into two parts, F F', and in height the dam is about two-thirds that ofthe partition E. The molten glass ows from the rear part, F', of the refining-tank through passages e at the bottom, which extend under the hollow partition-wall H, that separates the refining-tank F from the blowing-tank I. It will be noticed that the bottom of each tank is on a common level with the others. The par tition H is higher than either of the others, there being above its top an cpening,f, sufficient to permit the heat to enter the blowingtank. At the forward end of the melting-tank an opening', g, is made in each of the side walls, and it is through this opening that the material to be melted is passed in. At the near end, and above the reiningtank F, an opening, h, is made in each side wall, which affords escape for the products of combustion. Both of the openings r/ and It may be closed by a suitable stopper whenever the exigencies of the operation require.

By the construction herein shown and described the frit or vitreous material is rst melted and made to ow off from the bottom through the passage d, and to rise in the tank F and low over the dam G, and thence from tank F it lows off at the bottom through passage e into the blowing-tank. Thus the molten frit at the bottom of tank D is brought to the top as it flows over the dam G, where its exposure to the heat insures its thorough liquefaction and effects a refinement of the glass that is of great advantage.

An important feature in the construction of the partitions E and H, under which the passages d and e respectively are formed, is that each has an air-space, a, extending through it and open at the sides, as seenin Figs.1 and il. This air-space serves to keep down the temperature of these partition-walls, and thereby prevents leakage, since without the air-space the integrity of the wall with the passages below it would soon be gone.

The blowing-tank I has a greater width than any other part ofthe furnace. At the end opposite that where the glass enters are two openings, p, from which the glassis gathered,

IOO

and at each side are two openings, q, those on one side not being exactly opposite those on the other, which arrangement obviates the liability of the blowing-tubes inserted from opposite sides to come in contact.

The ash-pit R is directly below the furnace, and at some suitable point an openingis made for inlet ot' the air-blast from a blower.

The importance of having the second retinin g-tank, Ff, located as described is to secure a more perfect liquefaction by re-retining the glass in its passage in a thin sheet over the dam G, where it is exposed to the intense heat which passes over this dam on its way to the outlet-fines 7L h through the side walls of the reretining tank.

It will be seen that the highly-heated products of combustion rising from the furnace A pass over the fire-bridge C, expand in the melting-tank D, are then compressed in passing over the partition E, and then again expand over the glass in the refining-tanks, and pass o'laterally through the side tlues, h h. A portion of the heat will enter the working-tank through the passage f. It will thus be seen that by my arrangement of the furnace at one end of the melting-tank I cause the heat to pass in a straight line from the furnace over the melting-tank and over the two refiningtanks F F2, where the currents ot' heat are retarded somewhat by causing them to diverge at right angles and pass otf through the side lues, h h.

I am aware that in glass-furnaces it is not new to use an overliow-dam in combination with'a single refining-tank; nor is it new to have an arrangement oflateral induction tlames arranged over a melting-tank and arefiningtank, and those features I disclaim.

Having described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patentot' the United Statesl. In aglass-furnace of the character named, a furnace located at one end and a workingtank located at the other end, in combination with a melting-tank, a i'etiningtalik, and arerefining tank, two tubular partitions, an overflow-partition, and side outlets, all located between said furnace and the working-tank, substantially as described.

2. In a horizontal glass-furnace, the combination, with the melting-tank, the working tank, and the refining-tank F, of the second or re-reiining tank, F', having outlets 7L h, for the heated products, arranged above it, substantiall y as described.

3. In a glass-furnace ot' the character described, the process of rc-treating the refined glass after its tirst refining, and then immediately conducting it into the working-tank, in the manner specified.

DAVID FETTERS. Titnessesi J No. T. MAnDoX, GHAs. B. MANN. 

